No fewer than 38 people died as a result of the outbreak of Cerebellum Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in seven local government areas in Jigawa state.
This was disclosed by the Jigawa state Commissoner of health, through the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Salisu Muazu while fielding question to news in his office.
Dr. Salisu Muazu explained that the a total of 398 suspected cases is recorded in over some towns and villages in the affected local government areas.
According to him “the outbreak is in the seven local government areas neighboring the Niger republic where the outbreak started and latter transmitted to villages and towns of those local government areas boardering the Niger republic”.
He noted that “the effected local areas includes Babura, Maigatari, Suletankarkar and Birniwa”.
Others are Gumel, Gwiwa and Yankwashi local government. The disease appeared in 56 political wards where 398 cases recorded.
“Last year we did an immunization again Cerebellum Spinal Meningitis (CSM) across the state, despite that the we discovered that the that we noticed that we recorded the outbreack in this seven local government neighboring Niger republic”.
Dr. Mu’azu disclosed further that “After the report of the outbreak we too the samples of the disease we tested in the laboratory we discovered it is a strange disease. It is not a normal CSM disease we familiar here. We discovered it is a new bacteria known as type B”.
“Immediately after the report government through the ministry have swing in to action of treatment, control and prevention measures in the affected areas”.
“We established a center at Gumel general hospital were all the patients were refered there for treatment. We treated all the patients free.
He said the situation is now under control as the number of cases recording has drastically reduce, “it is now under control. For now we recording one to two cases far day. There is some days the we recorded nothing. Since last Saturday till today we recorded only one case”.
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